Analysis of Factors Affecting Farmers Investment in Neglected and Underutilized Crops: Case of Yams (Dioscorea SPP) Among Small Scale Farmers Runyejes Sub-County, Embu County, Kenya

An analysis of economic effects of  Neglected and Underutilized crops (NUACs) in Kenya, case of yam in Embu County. 

ABSTRACT 

Nations in Africa i.e. Kenya has great potential of realizing their goal of eradicating poverty and

hunger in all its forms and everywhere through the neglected and underutilized crops i.e. yams

Dioscorea spp (Berchie, 2009) but have been adversely aggrieved by institutional failure,

policies without the clear framework of the institutions capability to implement the development

of the rural people and improve livelihoods for small scale farmers. This study was anchored on

the Michael Porters model of comparative nations merit in production and thus trading terms

benefits. The research was on the analysis of factors affecting farmers’ investment in neglected

and  underutilized  crops adopting  a case study of yams (Dioscorea spp) among small scale

farmers. The purpose of the study was to analyze factors affecting small scale farmer investment

in neglected and underutilized crops to improve livelihoods and assess the shifts in the trends in

investment in yam production over the years. Farmer education, experience, and perception on

yam production, credit access, and gender were found not to influence yam expansive

investment. In addition, extension access and support couldn’t influence farmers’ investment in

yam venture as a major crop enterprise. Effect of age had influence, yam market price, and

access, yams improved varieties of cultivars i.e. fast maturing and high yielding, public private

partnership, value addition influenced positively and significantly small scale farmer investment

in yam as a major crop enterprise. Yam is a food crop with potential to improve nutrition, boost

food security, and foster rural development. To address food and nutritional security needs of the

rural poor and promote rural development and support sustainable land management, the link

between yam growers and traders improvement is key to improve the quality and increase the

quality and quantity provided by growers. Improvement of seed yam quality to reduce fungal

infections through research is also essential